Owais Crawford
Istanbul Airport in Turkey is the second busiest airport in Europe, and the seventh busiest in the world, handling over 76 million passengers in 2023. However, excluding Turkey, Spain has the largest domestic airline capacity of any European country. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is the largest international airport in France, and one of the biggest in Europe, handling 70.29 million passengers in 2024, making it the busiest airport in the European Union.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Busiest airport in Europe | London Heathrow |
| Busiest airport in the European Union | Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport |
| Second busiest airport in Europe | Istanbul Airport |
| Second-largest airport in Europe by area | Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport |
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What You'll Learn
London Heathrow: busiest airport in Europe
London Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport. However, it did not receive any awards, unlike Singapore Changi, which was crowned the World's Best Airport for the 13th time by Skytrax.
London Heathrow's status as Europe's busiest airport was highlighted in March 2025, when a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused its closure for roughly 18 hours, leading to widespread cancellations and disruptions for hundreds of thousands of passengers. The fire started just before midnight on Thursday, March 20, at a substation about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the airport, and took firefighters around seven hours to bring under control.
Heathrow Airport is no stranger to disruptions, with a previous incident in 2023 involving the suspension of flights due to drone sightings. Despite these challenges, London Heathrow remains a crucial transport hub, with five weekly summer operations by British Airways to New Orleans, and pre-2019 flights to Frankfurt by Condor.
In addition to its high passenger traffic, Heathrow also boasts an extensive route network, with flights to various destinations worldwide. The airport is a significant gateway to Europe, offering a broad range of travel options for passengers from around the globe.
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Istanbul Airport: second busiest in Europe
London Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe, according to Skytrax. However, Istanbul Airport is a close second. With an average of 1,482 daily flights, it is only just behind Heathrow's 1,357. Istanbul Airport is also one of the world's largest air transport hubs, with ambitious plans for future expansion.
Istanbul Airport is designed to accommodate up to 200 million passengers per year and is a symbol of Turkey's strong aviation industry. It handled about 80 million passengers in 2024, making it Europe's second busiest airport in terms of passenger numbers. The airport is expected to play a vital role in the national economy, creating tens of thousands of jobs.
The airport's design draws inspiration from its surroundings. Its expansive vaulted ceilings pay homage to Ottoman and Islamic architectural elements, casting crescents of light onto the marble floors on sunny days. It also features greenery, wooden beams, and floor-to-ceiling windows that create a sense of openness.
Istanbul Airport has also been recognised for its family-friendliness and facilities. It was named the World's Most Family-Friendly Airport and boasts the largest airport hotel in Europe, with a total of 451 cabins. Additionally, it offers a mobile app to help travellers with flight tracking, an interactive assistant, terminal maps, and audio guidance for visually impaired passengers.
Istanbul Airport's infrastructure is impressive, with triple runway operations and being the first airport in Europe to have three runways. It has also invested in advanced cargo operations and mobility enhancements to boost its position in international air commerce.
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Paris Charles de Gaulle: busiest in the EU
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, also known as Roissy Airport, is the largest international airport in France and one of the biggest in Europe. Covering 32.38 square kilometres, it is located in Roissy-en-France, 23 kilometres northeast of Paris. It was inaugurated in 1974 and named after the former French President Charles de Gaulle. Serving as the principal base for Air France, it also hosts other major carriers across three alliances. In 2024, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport handled 70.29 million passengers and 460,916 aircraft movements, ranking it as the ninth busiest airport globally and the busiest in the European Union.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport's extensive facilities are spread across three terminals, with Terminal 3 dedicated to low-cost airlines. The airport boasts a large area, playing a crucial role in global and European air traffic. Its vast size and capacity, modern infrastructure, and status as a hub for Air France have solidified its position as a major aviation hub.
The airport's proximity to Paris, a global city and popular tourist destination, contributes to its high passenger traffic. Paris attracts visitors from around the world with its rich history, iconic landmarks, and cultural offerings. The airport's efficient management of a large volume of passengers and flights underscores its significance in the European aviation landscape.
While Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport leads in the European Union, other European airports are also notable for their high passenger traffic. Istanbul Airport in Turkey, for example, has emerged as a major hub and was ranked as the second busiest airport in Europe and the Middle East in 2023. Additionally, London, with its city airport system, holds the distinction of having the world's busiest city airport system by passenger count.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport's ranking as the busiest airport in the European Union underscores its importance as a gateway to France and Europe. Its high passenger volume, efficient operations, and strategic location contribute to its reputation as a key aviation hub.
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Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas: fifth busiest in Europe
London Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe, but it is not on the list of the best airports in the world, according to Skytrax. Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, on the other hand, is the fifth busiest airport in Europe, and one of the top 20 busiest airports globally. It is also the busiest airport in Spain, serving the capital city of Madrid and its nearby regions. The airport is located 13km (8 miles) from Puerta del Sol, Madrid's city centre, and is accessible by public transportation.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, also known as MAD Airport, is the primary hub and maintenance base for Iberia and Air Europa. Iberia is responsible for more than 40% of the airport's traffic, and it is also considered a hub for Iberia Express, Iberia Regional, and Air Europa. Ryanair and Iberojet also use the airport as a focus city. The airport has five passenger terminals: T1, T2, T3, T4, and T4S. Terminal 4 is one of the world's largest airport terminals in terms of area, with 760,000 square meters of space.
The airport was constructed in 1927 and opened to domestic and international air traffic on 22 April 1931, although regular commercial operations did not begin until 1933. In the 1950s, the airport supported over half a million passengers and had five runways. By the 1970s, the airport reached 4 million passengers, and in 1998, a new runway, 18R-36L, started operations, replacing the previous 18–36 runway. The new terminals T4 and T4S were completed in 2004 and inaugurated in 2006.
In 2014, the airport was renamed Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport after the death of Adolfo Suárez, Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the Franco dictatorship. The airport is an important aviation centre and serves as a gateway to the Iberian peninsula from the rest of Europe and the world. It is also a key link between Europe and Latin America. In 2019, the airport handled 61.8 million passengers, and in 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic, it served 50.6 million passengers.
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London City Airport: joint fifth most beautiful airport landing
London City Airport has been ranked as offering one of the world's most beautiful airport landings. In a ranking of the most spectacular flight approaches and landings, London City Airport was placed fifth by AllClear, and seventh by Aviation A2Z.
London City Airport is located in a built-up area of the docklands, with the areas of Canary Wharf and beyond on the approach. The airport's proximity to the city centre means that planes come in low over the city, providing close-up views of London's skyscrapers, including the City of London and Isle of Dogs. The airport's steep approach, due to the height of the surrounding buildings, provides a bird's-eye view of architectural landmarks like The Shard, Tower Bridge, and the winding Thames River.
London City Airport is unique in that it requires a steep approach, with a rate of descent almost double that of other airports. This means that pilots must undergo special training to operate into and out of the airport. The airport also has a short runway, at just 1,508 meters long and 30 meters wide.
London City Airport is not the only airport to be recognised for its beautiful landing. Singapore Changi Airport has been crowned the World's Best Airport for the 13th time, with Skytrax describing it as a 'gastronomic wonderland'. Other airports with notable landings include Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, which offers views of the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf Mountain, and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, which provides sweeping views of Waikiki Beach and the Ko'olau mountain range.
In terms of the busiest airport in Europe, London Heathrow is the busiest airport on the continent in terms of passenger traffic. However, London as a city has the world's busiest city airport system by passenger count.
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Frequently asked questions
The busiest airport in Europe is London Heathrow, in the United Kingdom.
The busiest airport in the world is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, United States.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is the busiest airport in the European Union. It is also the largest international airport in France.
Istanbul Airport is the second busiest airport in Europe. It is also the largest airport in Turkey.
Spain has the largest domestic airline capacity of any country in Europe, just edging out Turkey.
